Freight-handling crate



sePtl5, 1930- J. J. FULLERTON 1,775,956

FREIGHT HANDLING' CRATE Filed Sept. 27. 1928' Patented Sept. l5, i930 narran .stares N PATENT OFFICE `TOI-IN J. FULLERTON, OF NORTH BERGEN, NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNOR TO FULLERTON TRUCKING COMPANY, OF NEW' YORK, N. Y., A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK FREIGHT-HANDLING CRATE Application led September 27, 1928. Serial No. 308,765.

This invention relates to a crate for handling freight and is more particularly designed for handling hollow-tile, brick, or similar articles. Y

One object ef the invention is to provide a crate in which tile, bricl; or other articles may be piled, and the loaded crate may be handled as a unit, the tile remaining thereon to the point of ultimate use thereof, such as a building.

Janother object is to provide a crate having ends which are rigid when secured in upright position and which may be easily folded upon the crate when the same is unloaded.

Another object is to provide a crate which is light in weight yet durable and strong.

These and further objects will be apparent from the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, wherein Eig. 1 is a side elevation of the crate shewing the met-hed used in loading the same,

Fig. 2 is a top plan of the crate,

Eig. 3 is a section on line 3-3 of Fig. 1.

Fig. l is a section on line l-Ll of Fig. 3.

Referring to the drawings, the base of the crate is formed of two structural steel T members 1, two side members 2 which are angle irons and end members 3 which are substantially Z-shaped. rThe flanges of the T members 1 and the angle irons 2 are secured to the lower flange of the Z members 3 by riveting or welding, the clearance between members 1 and 2 being such that the articles to be handled by the crate may be received between the upright flanges thereof and rest upon the lower flanges thereof, as seen in dotted lines in Fig. 3. ln the crate as illustrated, the clearance between adjacent upright lianges is slightly more than 12 inches to thereby accommodate 12 inch hollow tile. However, it will be understood that this clearance may be suitably varied to accommodate any other size of article to be handled.

The crate has foldable ends in order that the load piled thereon may be more secure. Each end is formed of an angle iron l having its ends bent upwardly, one flange of the angle being cut to allow the bending, and the cut flange being preferably welded together. rfhe upwardly bent portions of angle l are connected by straps 5.

Each of these ends is secured to the bottom of the crate by means of two sets of links 6 pivotally secured by pins 7 to the outside of angle irons l and to angle irons 2 of the bottom. Each pair of links is pivotally connect'- ed by pivot pins 8, whereby the ends may be folded down on the bottom as seen in dotted lines in Fig. 1.

ln order that the ends may not slip out of their vertical positions, dowel pins 9 are secured to the lower sides of angle irons il. These dowel pins project into corresponding holes in the upper liange of Z members 3.

As will be seen from Fig. l, the articles to be handled, such as hollow tile, are piled between adjacent T irons 1 and angles 2, and one tier of such articles is piled -onvtop of angle iron l of each folding end. The Z iron 3 is made approximately one half the depth of each article to be handled, whereby the end tier of articles is staggered with respect to the adjacent tier. by this means the folding enes are braced and the entire load is securely-held in position.

The crate is adapted to be loaded and handled as a loaded unit by mechanical handling devices without unloading the same. The handling device is placed under the overhanging flanges of the Z members 3 at each end and the loaded crate is thus picked up. No lifting strain is thus placed on the folding ends of the crate.

The crate may be handled by a carrying frame such as disclosed in my copending application 245,772, filed January 10, 1928, or any similar mechanism.

lt will be understood that the invention is not limited to the details of construction eX- cept in so far as set forth in the accompanying claims.

I claim z Y Y 1. A crate for handling tile or other articles piled in stacks, including a rigid bottom, and foldable ends secured to said bottom by means of links pivoted to said ends and to said bottom.

2. The structure as set forth in claim l Wherein said folding endsv are held in vertical position YWith respect to said `bottonrbjy f 'f means ofdowel pins. i I Y v 3K. Acrate for, handlingntileor other arti-v Vcles piled in stacks comprising a.rigid bottom havingoverhanging angesfQn-twogsides thereoif'the said iiange'slbeingspaced `Verti'- v cvallyrabove said bottonm'and` foldable' ends f @vom At@ eid, bottom@ meng bases f Y f Y mjwhiehnrest upon said` oyerhanging *flanges Y .Y jfwhen saidisides are in Vertical position; j l,

.The lstructure las. in claimz3iVfvllereirncooperating dowel pins and openings are pro-l Yided between said overhanging-iianges'land" 'l 'thebases of said endsresyting thereonj' n l y I Y.,

i bases offsaidV foldable ends are'ofsuch sizefas y by'said'crate'.

Will support one tier GQ A crate `relation, and having its Vbasejand top flanges tiangesof'th'e spaced members.

parallel. to; the planefof said projecting;` 17., A crate for handling tile Aor other ar e tides-piled in stacks-,- including a bottoml 'n v formed of a plurality of 'longitudinal mem-1 bersv arranged inspacedrelatiom ysaid mem` bers' hayingproJectin'g anges extending tot wardjadjacentmembersto Areceive thereon',

' lthe articles to be handled, Z irons lconnecting i l the endsof saidv longitudinal members, the VV langesjo said members resting onv andbeing i securedgto anj inwardlyprojecting lower flange ofsaid Zpirons, andvfoldable ends se'- i V curedv to saidbottom by linlis, therbases 'of ysaid foldable ends resting on said outwardlyl projectingflange of said Z iron' when said ends arelinkvertical position.

8. A crate 'for handling tile or otheilarf' y p Y* ticlesy 'piled instacks, `including a plurality Y X1 of spaced-members, l said members vhaving said Zgironsgv i v 'Intestimonyrwhereo I aliix my signature; Y y,JOI-IN JfFUlLLEBTON.'

ot the tile toloeV hand-liedy V l for handling tile' onl other art'i-V l' 'cles {piledinjstaclzs,Y including applurality l of spacedmembers,said.members having iianges projecting-toward each. adjacent member, to receive thereon the articles to be 'handlecL' the projecting l'flangeslying in` a common' horizontal`plane," anda z iron se# 7 curingthe ends of said members lspaced 

